Comic Review: East Of West Book 4

East of West is a profoundly weird series. Set in an alternate universe where “the Message” came to different historic figures prophesying the end of the world, where the United States is divided into multiple smaller nations–including one run by communist Chinese on the West Coast–the world of the near future is headed for an ending, and not much may be able to stop it.

I’m not sure if anything can, or if that’s the point, but the series with the sprawling cast continues on.

The fourth volume opens with what appears to be a special issue showing the timeline of events and current state of the multiple nations at play here. The technologically advanced Endless Nation, comprising of Native Americans, has declared war on multiple other countries and even wiped one of them more or less out. Death returns for what the narration says is a final visit to his wife. Their son is wondering loose with an AI programming him to kill. And the remaining three Horsemen of War, Conquest, and Famine are still out there.

At this point, it’s hard to say where or how this will all end, even if it is (we’re told) Year Two of the Apocalypse. Can it be stopped? Does anyone really want it to? Writer Jonathan Hickman and artist Nick Dragotta keep this Image Comics series moving, expanding the plot as needed with a cast of characters that shows an epic scope. That befits the end of the world and the Biblical feel the series has despite not being a particularly Christian world. Nine out of ten baby pig cliffhangers.